IWC Platinum Il Destriero Scafusia Grand Complication Bracelet Watch

In 1993, as the International Watch Co. celebrated its 125th anniversary, it unveiled what was at that time one of the most ambitious wristwatches ever made. Known as Il Destriero Scafusia, literally The Warhorse of Schaffhausen, this watch was born not from market trends but from an authentic impulse to demonstrate what a mechanical wristwatch could achieve. Limited to just 125 pieces across all metals, with only a select handful in platinum, it stood shoulder to shoulder with other grand complications of the era and cemented IWCs reputation beyond pilots and dress watches.

This platinum version of the IWC Il Destriero Scafusia carries the gravitas of that inheritance with presence rather than flamboyance. The 42mm case has weight and density that speak to its precious metal, finished with the kind of razor-crisp polishing and brushing you expect from top-tier manufacture work. Framed beneath a sapphire crystal, the dial here is a serene white that balances an extraordinary array of functions with clarity. Day, date, month, leap year and moon phase sit alongside chronograph registers in a layout that feels considered, not cluttered. The hands, fine and blued against a bright dial, give an immediate sense of precision and purpose.

Under the surface beats a movement calibre designed to bring together a perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph, minute repeater and flying tourbillon. For collectors and enthusiasts this combination is endlessly fascinating: not because it throws complication at complication, but because each element was integrated thoughtfully. The minute repeaters chimes, the split-seconds timing capability and the secular accuracy of the perpetual calendar all reflect generations of accumulated expertise.

On the wrist this example feels like a rare conversation piece rather than a showpiece. Its. in excellent overall with no notable signs of wear and it preserves its original impact. Its a watch that rewards knowledge: theres a story in every complication and a quiet seriousness to how it was resolved in metal and movement. For someone who already understands why grand complications matter, this remains one of the most authentic expressions of that credo from the last decades of the 20th century.